Please Vote for A TOUCH OF TEXAS IRISH for the RONE award.

Here I am asking for votes AGAIN! 

I am elated that A TOUCH OF TEXAS IRISH is in the running for a RONE AWARD in the Historical Fiction section.  Voting on Historical Fiction began today and will continue through the 29th. Please go to http://www.indtale.com/

You must register to vote and verify your email address by clicking a verification link sent to your email address.

To locate the awards, go to the top right hand side of the page and click on IND'SCRIBE/RONES. Select RONES and then week two Historical Fiction.

"Aileen Lynch is devastated the day her mother dies of cancer. When the last will and testament is read, dark family secrets are revealed. Already stricken with grief, Aileen is shocked to learn of her father’s insurmountable gambling debts. Before she can be handed over in marriage to a sinister man her Da owes money to, Aileen flees Ireland for Boston, where she stays with the family of her Ma’s attorney. There she meets the handsome widower Dr. Samuel Walker, a visiting guest from Texas, who has lost his wife and baby in childbirth. He marries Aileen to get her out of the pickle she is in, and takes her to his home in west Texas. The town and culture is very different from Aileen’s Irish homeland, but she adapts beautifully. Once she meets Sam’s young son Tad, the two become fast friends.  Da and his dastardly debtor eventually find Aileen and do the unthinkable in an attempt to destroy Sam and Aileen. 

With several surprises and some suspense, this is a well-written page-turner.  There is the just right amount of angst as Sam fights his growing feelings for Aileen. It was refreshing to read the tastefully written, clean romance scenes. Would Sam and Aileen finally admit their love for each other? The author did a wonderful job with character development and description of life in the late 1800’s. A highly recommended five star read!"
 Layne Lancaster

Sometime this summer I have a new book, The Art Appraiser and The Lawman coming out. 

      "Good grief, Abby. You've been reading too many romance novels."

Abby Devry, a Fort Worth art appraiser meets Roark Espinoza, a Texas State Trooper at a party on a ranch in West Texas. Attraction is instant, but Abby hasn't had much experience with men, and she's worried he'll be hurt on the job. Roark knows what he wants in a woman and is determined to marry Abby, but wounds from a past relationship haunt him.

Hired to inventory and appraise items in a beautiful historical home in downtown Fort Worth, Abby is surprised to learn the owner is Roark's maternal grandmother, and he'll be there to help. As they work together, their relationship blooms. It isn't until they travel to the Espinoza family ranch that Abby learns to trust her heart and have faith that if Roark is hurt in the line of duty, she'll be woman enough to cope.

Thank you for stopping by and please vote!

Happy Reading and Writing,

Linda

www.lindalaroque.com

Investment of the Heart—a blurb and excerpt.

This novel, Investment o the Heart, was first published back in 2008. It's just now been re-released with a few minor changes and a new cover. Thank you Diana Carlile of Designs by Diana.

Widow Hallie Barron wants her daughter happily married to the young rancher she loves. When Simon Cole enters Hallie's life she's reminded she's a woman with needs and desires. She yearns for a love like the one she had, but fears risking her heart.

Rancher Simon Cole doesn't feel that city women belong on a ranch. He's set to prove his nephew's fiancée is a mistake. Yet when he meets her mother, he finds himself wishing there was a place for Hallie in his life.

On a ranch in the Hill Country of Texas, love is recognized, lost, and found.

Excerpt:

Draining his first beer, he scanned the gaudy room, taking in the familiar dark red, flocked wallpaper, white tablecloths, and heavy gold drapes pulled back with black tassels. The red velvet swing suspended from the stage was empty. He grinned. Damned if the place wasn’t decked out like an old west bordello, an expensive one. The décor notwithstanding, they served superb steaks.

He ordered another beer and glanced around the room. His gaze stopped at the attractive blonde sitting two tables away. Dressed in a wrinkled type skirt and a silky close-fitting knit top, she sat with her chin propped on her right hand. With her left, she drummed trimmed bare fingernails on the white linen tablecloth that ended almost at her lap. She sipped her iced tea as she surveyed the room, her attention returning to the maître d’ near the entrance as if expecting him to walk someone to her table.

Yeah, yeah, I know how you feel, honey. It’s hell waiting on someone when you’ve better things to do.

Hell. He had business in town this afternoon. If the woman didn’t hurry up, he’d end up stuck in the city instead of returning to the ranch near Granite Springs. Not a pleasant prospect since he hated the beds in motels. He could call his cousin, Jo Beth. She’d be glad to see him, but her matchmaking was an aggravation he didn’t want to deal with tonight.

A flash of color jerked his attention back to the nearby table. The woman swiveled, swinging her arm over the back of the chair, pulling her silky top tight across lush curves. He caught his breath and almost choked on a mouthful of beer. Jaw length blond hair teased her cheek. Straight white teeth worried her rosy bottom lip. Oh, man. What a fine looking woman. Scanning the area behind her, she appeared to check the people at each table before moving on to the next. When she turned back around, her gaze locked on his.

The pretty blonde blinked as he studied her. Heat flushed her face. She didn’t back down, and inspected him in return. His eyes crinkled with mischief, and his shoulders shook as he gave in to silent laughter. He held his beer bottle with both hand, thumbs stroking the neck as if it were a woman’s neck. Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped as she observed his movements. When her gaze returned to his face, he grinned and winked. She gasped at his arrogance then she bit her lip to keep from laughing.

        He watched as she picked up the napkin she’d dropped when she’d turned. For a minute he thought she’d use it for a fan to cool her still red face. But she stopped in mid motion and laid it across her lap.

If you enjoyed this excerpt, I hope you'll pick up at an copy at Amazon. Print will be out soon.

Thanks for Reading and Writing!

Linda

Birdie's Nest—Escape to 1890s Waco, Texas—A Time Travel

June 1, 2012, Waco, Texas

            “Why Birdie, where’ve you been hiding all that… bounty?” Sergeant Ted Weaver, Birdie’s co-worker, whipped off his Stetson and laid the hat over his heart. His gaze raked her from head to toe, finally settling on her breasts. Birdie wanted to smack his grinning face. She snorted and covered the bare skin above the red strapless dress with her oversized handbag. It’d taken all the nerve she could garner to exit the ladies restroom in the sleazy garb. Tonight’s Victorian costume party dress paled in comparison to her current get-up. Everyone in the unit was counting on her to succeed this afternoon. But tonight her family home was at stake. She couldn’t afford to fail at either assignment.

            “Watch yourself, Weaver.” She slapped her thigh, where her thigh holster held her Ruger, with her free hand. “I can still pierce your ear for you.”

            His howls of laughter bounced off the walls. At least the other men in the office were courteous enough to bend their heads and try to hide their snickers.

            Being a woman in the Texas Rangers wasn’t easy. While some tolerated her, others ignored her. If she pulled off this afternoon’s assignment, where several male rangers had failed, maybe the stigma of being a woman in their ranks would lose some of its stink. 

Available at Amazon, & Barnes & Noble.

I hope you'll pick up a copy.

Linda

Two New Contracts

I'm pleased to announce two new contracts. Champagne Books will publish my futuristic romance, Born in Ice, in December 2011.

Here is a blurb for Born in Ice.

Pulled from an icy grave…into a world of doubt and danger.


Frozen in ice for seventy-five years, Zana Forrester suffers the agony of rebirth to learn her son is dead, and her daughter's whereabouts is unknown. The year is 2155. A man's soothing voice and gray eyes haunt her drug induced dreams. When she recovers, she meets their owner and finds her heart in danger. But, a relationship isn’t a consideration; she must find her daughter.

Brock Callahan is drawn to the beautiful woman taken aboard his salvage ship. He's determined she'll be his wife and a mother to his young daughter, but he vows not to love her. All the women he’s loved die. While
Zana searches for her daughter, Brock must protect Zana from the evil that threatens.

A Marshal of Her Own doesn't have a release date yet but will be published by The Wild Rose Press. It is the second story in the Prairie Texas Series. The first story is A Law of Her Own.

Here is a blurb for A Marshal of Her Own.

Despite rumors of “strange doings” at a cabin in Fredericksburg, investigative reporter Dessa Wade books the cottage from which lawyer, Charity Dawson, disappeared in 2008. Dessa is intent on solving the mystery. Instead, she is caught in the mystery that surrounds the cabin and finds herself in 1890 in a shootout between the Faraday Gang and a US Marshal.


Marshal Cole Jeffers doesn’t believe Miss Wade is a time traveler. He admits she’s innocent of being an outlaw, but thinks she knows more about the gang than she’s telling. When she’s kidnapped by Zeke Faraday, Cole is determined to rescue her. He’s longed for a woman of his own, and Dessa Wade just might be the one—if she’ll commit to the past.

I so enjoyed sharing my news.

Thank you for reading and Writing!

Linda
http://www.lindalaroque.com/,



 

Book trailer for Investment of the Heart

My western contemporary romance set in the Hill Country of Texas.

Here's what fellow authors are saying about Investment of the Heart.

“Have you ever had an author describe a setting so wonderfully that you've sworn you've been there? That's how I felt with Linda LaRoque's Investment Of The Heart. I wanted to reach out and touch the ranch Hallie was visiting. About Hallie… I loved that she was an older heroine acting, well, like an older heroine. She had a wisdom suited to her years mixed with an ageless hope. This made this special romance unique.” Kimber Chin, Author Of Invisible http://businessromance.com/


"LaRoque knows her way around a ranch and charms us with memorable characters and believable dialogue in this engaging story about the complicated affairs of the heart. Investment of the Heart is a feel-good novel that devotees of contemporary western romance should not miss."Stacey Coverstone, Author of the forthcoming Delaney's Crossing and Outlaw Trail
http://www.staceycoverstone.com/


Five Stars ~ Fresh, fun and passionate Investment of the Heart does not disappoint in this contemporary western tale of Hallie Barron and Simon Cole. Instantly at odds when Hallie learns of Simon’s plan to sabotage her daughter’s upcoming marriage to his nephew, Justin, neither can deny the intense attraction between them. Thrown into the romantic mix are Elise, Justin, Caitlyn, and Corbett. With humor and passion laced expertly through I laughed, ached and smiled with near every turn of the page as our characters learn the true meaning of love, forgiveness, and overcoming past hurt and prejudice. ~ Melissa Blue, author.
~Melissa Blue~Coming June, 2009: Without Regret My Love http://www.champagnebooks.com/

Thanks for stopping by.

Linda

Linda LaRoque ~Western Romance with a Twist in Time~ A Law of Her Own, Forever Faithful, Desires of the Heart, My Heart Will Find Yours, 5-9, Flames on the Sky10-9, Investment of the Heart 5-9, When the Ocotillo Bloom 7-9.
www.lindalaroque.com/ http://wwww.lindalaroqueauthor.blogspot.com/

My cover for Investment of the Heart

Isn't it georgous? As usual, artist Trisha Fitzgerald has done an awesome job. Thank you, Trisha!

Taking the chance to love again can be the most courageous investment a heart can make.

Widow Hallie Barron wants to see her daughter happily married to a young rancher, raise her son, and continue with her uncomplicated existence. When Simon Cole enters her life, her heart and body remind her she’s a woman. She yearns for a love like she once had, but she fears putting her heart at risk.

Due to his conniving ex sister-in-law, Simon Cole is prejudiced against city women and doesn’t believe they belong on a working ranch. He’s set to prove his nephew’s fiancée is a mistake. Yet when he meets the young woman’s mother, he finds himself wishing there was a place for her in his life.

On a ranch in the Hill Country of Texas, love is recognized, lost, and found.

Investment of the Heart will be out May 1, 2009 in ebook format with Champagne Books.

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading.

Linda

Linda LaRoque ~Western Romance with a Twist in Time~
http://www.lindalaroque.com/ http://wwww.lindalaroqueauthor.blogspot.com/